1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disc file apparatus which is so constructed that a cartridge housing therein a large capacity storage medium, such as a magnetic disc, is retrieved from a stocker storing therein the cartridge and mounted in a recording and reproducing system, and reversely fetched therefrom and inserted into a predetermined location at the stocker.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a schematically perspective structural view of the conventional disc file apparatus as a whole disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. sho 61-170157 (1986), FIG. 2 is a perspective structural view concretely showing the principal portion of a cartridge pick-up and discharge mechanism at the disc file apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carriage for moving the cartridge pick-up and discharge mechanism.
In FIG. 1, a reference numeral 1 designates a cartridge housing therein a disc of an information recording medium, which is transversely arranged lengthwise standing on a rack provided at a stocker 2, 3 designates a recording and reproducing system for reading and writing the information on the disc in the cartridge 1, 4 designates a pick-up and discharge mechanism for the cartridge 1, which is mounted rotatably through a rotary mechanism provided at a laterally moving base 5 provided on a vertically movable carriage 6 and functions to insert the cartridge into or draw out of the stocker 2 or the recording and reproducing system 3, 7 designates two rod-like rails, being provided at the left and right side in parallel to each other, which are fitted slidably into sliders 8 respectively to vertically guide the carriage 6, and 9 designates belts connected to the carriage 6 and a balancer 11 so as to transmit thereto a driving force of a lifting motor 10 respectively.
In FIG. 3, a reference numeral 12 designates a connector for connecting the belts 9 to the carriage 6, 13 designates a motor for laterally moving the laterally moving base 5 in the direction 7 the arrow B and mounted on the carriage 6 by a fitting 14, 15 designates a worm gear mounted to the motor 13, 16 designates a worm wheel engageable with the worm gear 15, 17 designates a shaft through which a torque is transmitted from the worm wheel 16 to a pulley 18, 19 designates a belt which engages with the pulley 18, a part of the loop of belt 19 being mounted to the laterally moving base through a belt fitting 22, 20 designates two rod-like rails, extending in vertically parallel to each other, which are fitted slidably into sliders 21 mounted on the laterally moving base 5, both ends thereof being mounted to the carriage 6, 23 designates a motor for rotating the pick-up and discharge mechanism 4 mounted to the laterally moving base 5, and 25 designates a worm gear mounted on the end of a shaft of the motor 23 and engageable with a worm wheel 26 rotatably mounted on a bearing member 27 provided at the laterally moving base 5.
The worm wheel 26 is mounted on a holder 28 at the pick-up and discharge mechanism 4 with the axis A of rotation as the center of rotation; resulting in that the motor 25 rotates to rotate the holder 28.
In FIG. 2, a reference numeral 29 designates a moving member having at the lower surface a slider (not shown) slidable onto a guide shaft 30 mounted to the holder 28 longitudinally thereof and at the upper surface a mechanism for longitudinally moving the moving member 29 and a cartridge holding mechanism 39, 31 designates a motor for longitudinally moving the moving member 29 which is mounted to a bearing base 32 fixed to the moving member 29, 34 designates a worm gear mounted to the motor 31, and 35 designates a worm wheel which engages with the worm gear 34, and is mounted to a synchro-shaft 36. The synchro-shaft 36 is mounted rotatably to the bearing base 32 and that 33 provided at both sides of the moving member 29, and provided at both axial ends with rollers 38 rotatable in guide grooves 38c provided at the holder 28 to draw-in the cartridge, and with pinions 37 engageable with racks 38d provided at the sides of the guide grooves 38c respectively.
Therefore, the moving member 29 can move in a fixed posture due to the guide shaft 30 and the rollers 38 rotatably engageable with the guide grooves 38c provided at the holder 28 to draw in the cartridge 1.
Also, a reference numeral 40 designates a pair of clampers which thicknesswise open and close to clamp the cartridge 1, 41 designates a support for rotatably supporting the clampers 40 and a cam shaft 42, 43 designates a bearing base to which the pair of clampers 40 and cam shaft 42 and a motor 44 are mounted, 45 and 46 designate gears for transmitting the rotation of motor 44 to the cam shaft 42, and 47 designates a tension spring for applying a clamping force to the clamps 40, being connected thereto.
In the state where the pair of clampers 40 are open as shown in FIG. 2, when the cam shaft 42 rotates at an angle of 90.degree., the clampers 40 are biased to hole the cartridge 1 by means of a spring force.
Also, a reference numeral 38a designates an inlet for the cartridge 1, 38b designates a bore through which the clampers 40 pass, and 48 designates a stopper to about against the front surface of cartridge 1, which is supported by a spring 49 elastically to the moving member 29.
Next, explanation will be given on operation of the aforesaid conventional disc file apparatus.
The disc file apparatus operates to selectively pick up the cartridge 1 housed in the stocker 2 so as to insert it into the recording and reproducing system, or operates reversely to the above and returns the cartridge 1 to the original position. Explanation will be given on, for example, a case where a cartridge 1a shown in FIG. 1 is supplied to a recording and reproducing system 3A.
At first, when the apparatus is given a command of taking the cartridge 1a out of the stocker 2 to insert it into the recording and reproducing system 3A, a controller (not shown) housed in the apparatus drives a motor 10 for lifting or lowering the carriage 6, the motor 13 for laterally moving the laterally movable base 5, and the motor 23 for rotating the holder 28 so that the pick-up and discharge mechanism 4 moves until the cartridge inlet 38a provided at the holder 28 constituting the pick-up and discharge mechanism 4 is opposite to and in alignment with a desired cartridge 1a (in the stocker) 2.
Next, the motor 44 is driven to rotate the cam shaft 42 to open the clampers 40, the motor 31 is driven to move the moving member 29 having a clamp mechanism 39 to the position where the clampers 40 can clamp the cartridge 1a within the stocker 2, the motor 44 is driven to rotate the cam shaft 42 by an angle of 90.degree. so as to clamp by the clampers 40 the front part of cartridge 1a through the spring force of tension spring 47, and then the motor 31 is reversely rotated so as to take the cartridge 1a into the mechanism 4 through the guide grooves 38c provided at the holder 28.
Upon completing the take-in of the cartridge 1a, the holder 28 therefor is rotated by an angle of 90.degree. by the motor 23 in accordance with an instruction of selecting either surface of the cartridge 1, and simultaneously the motors 13 and 10 are driven to move the pick-up and discharge mechanism 4 to the position where an insertion port 3B at the recording and reproducing system 3A is opposite to and coincident with the cartridge inlet 38a at the holder 28.
Then, the motor 31 is normally rotated to forwardly move the clampers 40 and the cartridge 1a is inserted into the recording and reproducing system 3. Upon completing the insertion of cartridge 1a, a signal of completion of insertion thereof into the system 3 is given and simultaneously the motor 44 is driven to open the clampers 40 and the motor 31 is reversely rotated to backwardly move the clampers 40.
Meanwhile, the inserted cartridge 1a is further drawn into the recording and reproducing system 3 through draw-in means (not shown) provided therein toward the position where the information can be recorded or reproduced. Upon completion of recording or reproducing, the cartridge 1a is returned to the original position thereof in the stocker 2, and at that time the apparatus operates reversely to the above.
Next, the apparatus is given a command to pick up the next cartridge 1b housed in the stocker 2 and insert it into the recording and reproducing system 3, so that the same operation as the above-mentioned is carried out to convey the cartridge 1b to the recording and reproducing system 3.
When a plurality of cartridges 1 are fed to the recording and reproducing system 3, the above-mentioned operation is continuously repeated.
The cartridge pick-up and discharge mechanism at such conventional disc file apparatus is constructed to draw in the cartridge while slidably holding both side surfaces thereof, whereby the mechanism is larger and heavy so as to increase the moment of inertia. Hence, it is required that the bearing structure must be strengthened and the power of motor be increased.
Also, since it is difficult to dispose mechanical parts required for insertion and removal of cartridge in proper balance with the rotary shaft in cantilever fashion, a problem is created in that vibrations are generated when the cartridge pick-up and discharge mechanism rises or falls and laterally moves as well as rotating, whereby it is difficult to move the mechanism at a high speed.
Since the conventional disc file apparatus merely clamps by the clampers the cartridge in the thickness direction thereof, it is difficult to properly hold the cartridge, so that there is a fear that the cartridge will hit the stocker or the recording and reproducing system to cause a failure.
All the rise and fall of the carriage with respect to the main body of the apparatus, lateral movement of the lateral movable base with respect to the carriage, and longitudinal movement of the moving member carrying the holding mechanism for the cartridge with respect to the holder are adapted to be slidably guided by the ring-like-shaped sliders fitted on the rod-like rails. Hence, the above-mentioned movements are not smooth and the rails are supported only at both axial ends, thereby requiring strength, in other words, being large-sized and increasing the moment when viewed as the cantilever. Hence, there is the problem that when the apparatus is assembled, the sliders need to be previously fitted onto the rails respectively.
Furthermore, in order to turn over the cartridge, the pick-up and discharge mechanism is rotated by the worm gear and worm wheel, there is a fear that a back-lash in the worm gear or vibrations from the exterior of apparatus brings about that the rotational position of the pick-up and discharge mechanism shifts and that the cartridge, when inserted into the stocker, hits the stocker at the front end of the cartridge. Therefore, a housing interval of the cartridge to the stocker must be longer, thereby reducing the number of cartridges to be housed as a whole.
Also, when the holder for the cartridge moves, the position of the clampers directly holding the cartridge, even when not holding the cartridge, is at the same position as when holding the same, where the taking in cartridge is completed, whereby its amount of movement is large to have a tendency of wasting time.
At the conventional disc file apparatus, the position where the cartridge housing therein the disc is inserted into the recording and reproducing system is the same as that where the cartridge is taken out of the recording and reproducing system. Hence, for example, after the cartridge is returned to the stocker, a new cartridge must be picked up from the stocker and then inserted to the recording and reproducing system, thereby creating the problem in that much time is wasted.
Furthermore, the conventional disc file apparatus cannot check whether or not the cartridge is inserted into the recording and reproducing system. Hence, there is a fear that in spite that the cartridge is already inserted into the recording and reproducing system, a new cartridge may be inserted therein to cause damage in the cartridge or the apparatus.